Staff

Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.

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Foster & Doris Heath

Foster and Doris Heath opened Heath Funeral Chapel on November 23, 1959. Foster served as President and Licensed Funeral Director until his death in April 2012. He graduated from the University of Minnesota's Program of Mortuary Science and held a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College and a Life and Variable Annuities License.

Prior to the opening of Heath Funeral Chapel, Foster served his country in World War II as a tail gunner on a B-17 bomber in the Army Air Corps in Europe. He was discharged from the Army Air Corps in 1945 after spending 11 months in German Prisoner of War camps and was awarded a Purple Heart and other decorations.

An active member of the Lakeland Community, Foster served on many committees that include the Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland American Red Cross, the American Legion and the Lakeland Rotary Club. He was also a member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization.

Foster and his wife Doris were members of College Heights United Methodist Church. They had two children, Caroline Heath Schichtel of Lakeland and Eugene Heath of New Paltz, New York, as well as four grandchildren.

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Matthew Heath Schichtel President/Funeral Director

As Heath’s third-generation owner and president, Matt will continue his grandparents’ legacy of compassionate care and professional service that started on the corner of Lime Street and Ingraham Avenue in 1959. Former owner Bill Schichtel will serve as vice president. 

Matt graduated from Davidson College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and from Wake Forest University with a Master of Science in Accountancy. He obtained his CPA license in North Carolina in 2008 and began his career in the Charlotte area.

In 2011, Matt returned to Lakeland to join the family business, working alongside his parents and grandfather. He completed a degree in Funeral Services and became a Licensed Funeral Director in 2014.

Today, Matt is married to Katherine Sultenfuss Schichtel, an attorney with the Lakeland office of GrayRobinson, P.A., and they have one child. Matt is a member of Lakeland Rotary Club, Leadership Lakeland Class of XXX, the Polk Theatre Board, and Historic Lakeland, Inc.

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Bill Schichtel Vice President- Funeral Director

Bill joined his father-in-law at Heath Funeral Chapel in May of 1989 and is currently Vice President of Heath Funeral Chapel.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Bill completed a Bachelor of Administration in Finance from St. Bonaventure University in 1973. After 16 years in South Florida, Bill made a career change and returned to school at The College of Boca Raton (Lynn University) to complete a degree in funeral service. He also holds a Life and Variable Annuities License.

Bill is an integral part of the Lakeland Community. He currently serves on the VISTE Advisory Board (Volunteers in Service to the Elderly), the Imperial Symphony Board the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida Board and is also an active member of the Lakeland Rotary Club. He is also the past treasurer of Paint Your Heart Out Lakeland. Bill and his wife Caroline live in Lakeland and are active members of the First United Methodist Church. They have four children and three Labrador retrievers.

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Caroline Heath Schichtel Community Service Relations

Caroline is the daughter of Foster and Doris Heath, founders of Heath Funeral Chapel, and the wife of Bill Schichtel.

Born and raised in Lakeland, Florida, Caroline attended Cleveland Court Elementary, Southwest Junior High and Lakeland High School. Caroline completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics at Stetson University in 1978. After working in management for seven years at Southern Bell in Ft. Lauderdale and Pompano Beach, she became a stay at home mom to her four now-grown children.

Like Bill, Caroline has been active in the Lakeland community. She has been involved with PTA and Lakeland Assemblies Cotillion Club. She is an active member of First United Methodist Church, PEO Chapter CP, and a Sustainer in the Junior League of Greater Lakeland.

Caroline joins Heath’s staff by overseeing the Aftercare Program and developing relationships within the community.

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Art Kretzer II Funeral Director

Art was born in West Virginia and moved with his family to Lakeland in 1989. He received his Associate of Science degree in Mortuary Science from St. Petersburg Junior College in 2005, his state of Florida Funeral Director’s License in 2006, and his Life and Variable Annuities License in 2009. Art joined Heath Funeral Chapelin 2007 as a Licensed Funeral Director.

Art and his wife, Kellee, have four children: Declan, Nolan, Everett, and Maloree, and they attend Highland Park Church. Art is active in the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, and enjoys spending time with his family, exploring parks and playgrounds with his children, and playing golf.

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Rusty Gray Funeral Director

Rusty was born and raised outside of Flint, Michigan. In 1990, he graduated from Olivet Nazarene University, in Kankakee, Illinois, with a degree in Christian Education. Rusty was a Student Ministries Pastor for the Church of the Nazarene in Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. He received his degree in Mortuary Science from St. Petersburg College in 2011 and obtained his State of Florida funeral directors license in 2012. Since then, he has been working as a funeral director and a location manager in the Orlando area. He says his ministry continues in the funeral industry, where he considers serving families an honor.

 

Rusty and his wife, Carol, reside in Lakeland, and have two adult sons. Carol is a para-professional for the Polk County Schools. Rusty volunteers with Lakeland High School Dreadnaught Athletics, serving as scorekeeper for the basketball team and as a member of the “chain gang” for the football team. He and Carol are members at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene.

 

He joined the staff at Heath Funeral Chapel in 2015.

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Mark R. Niece Staff Associate

Mark was born in Youngstown, Ohio and moved to Lakeland in 1981 where he graduated from Lake Gibson High School the following year. He came to work for Heath Funeral Chapel in 1989 and was promoted to Support Staff Foreman in 2002. His hobbies include comic book collecting, reading, writing and swimming. Mark and his wife Linda currently reside in Lakeland.

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Billi Jo Hendry Administrative Assistant

Billi was born in West York, Pennsylvania. She moved to Lakeland at the age of 12. She graduated from Lakeland High School in 1994, with a focus on business classes.

She and her husband, Aaron, have been married since 2002 and have two grown children, Austin and McKenzie.

Billi’s hobbies include camping, going to the beach and spending time with her furry babies.

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Mark Scolnick Staff Associate

Mark moved to Florida from Westford, MA, in November 2011 after working in the insurance industry for many years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administrative in Finance and a Minor in Marketing from Nichols College in Dudley, MA. An active community member both in Massachusetts and Florida, Mark has served as president of several community organizations and currently is active in the Lakeland Rotary Club and Boy Scouts of America. Prior to his move to Florida, he began volunteering with Central Florida SCORE, a mentor group of retired executives established in 1964, and currently is serving as chairman. Mark joined Heath Funeral Chapel in September of 2014. He and his wife, Irma, reside in Lakeland.

Foster & Doris Heath

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Foster and Doris Heath opened Heath Funeral Chapel on November 23, 1959. Foster served as President and Licensed Funeral Director until his death in April 2012. He graduated from the University of Minnesota's Program of Mortuary Science and held a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College and a Life and Variable Annuities License.

Prior to the opening of Heath Funeral Chapel, Foster served his country in World War II as a tail gunner on a B-17 bomber in the Army Air Corps in Europe. He was discharged from the Army Air Corps in 1945 after spending 11 months in German Prisoner of War camps and was awarded a Purple Heart and other decorations.

An active member of the Lakeland Community, Foster served on many committees that include the Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland American Red Cross, the American Legion and the Lakeland Rotary Club. He was also a member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization.

Foster and his wife Doris were members of College Heights United Methodist Church. They had two children, Caroline Heath Schichtel of Lakeland and Eugene Heath of New Paltz, New York, as well as four grandchildren.

Matthew Heath Schichtel

President/Funeral Director
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As Heath’s third-generation owner and president, Matt will continue his grandparents’ legacy of compassionate care and professional service that started on the corner of Lime Street and Ingraham Avenue in 1959. Former owner Bill Schichtel will serve as vice president. 

Matt graduated from Davidson College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and from Wake Forest University with a Master of Science in Accountancy. He obtained his CPA license in North Carolina in 2008 and began his career in the Charlotte area.

In 2011, Matt returned to Lakeland to join the family business, working alongside his parents and grandfather. He completed a degree in Funeral Services and became a Licensed Funeral Director in 2014.

Today, Matt is married to Katherine Sultenfuss Schichtel, an attorney with the Lakeland office of GrayRobinson, P.A., and they have one child. Matt is a member of Lakeland Rotary Club, Leadership Lakeland Class of XXX, the Polk Theatre Board, and Historic Lakeland, Inc.

Bill Schichtel

Vice President- Funeral Director
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Bill joined his father-in-law at Heath Funeral Chapel in May of 1989 and is currently Vice President of Heath Funeral Chapel.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Bill completed a Bachelor of Administration in Finance from St. Bonaventure University in 1973. After 16 years in South Florida, Bill made a career change and returned to school at The College of Boca Raton (Lynn University) to complete a degree in funeral service. He also holds a Life and Variable Annuities License.

Bill is an integral part of the Lakeland Community. He currently serves on the VISTE Advisory Board (Volunteers in Service to the Elderly), the Imperial Symphony Board the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida Board and is also an active member of the Lakeland Rotary Club. He is also the past treasurer of Paint Your Heart Out Lakeland. Bill and his wife Caroline live in Lakeland and are active members of the First United Methodist Church. They have four children and three Labrador retrievers.

Caroline Heath Schichtel

Community Service Relations
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Caroline is the daughter of Foster and Doris Heath, founders of Heath Funeral Chapel, and the wife of Bill Schichtel.

Born and raised in Lakeland, Florida, Caroline attended Cleveland Court Elementary, Southwest Junior High and Lakeland High School. Caroline completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics at Stetson University in 1978. After working in management for seven years at Southern Bell in Ft. Lauderdale and Pompano Beach, she became a stay at home mom to her four now-grown children.

Like Bill, Caroline has been active in the Lakeland community. She has been involved with PTA and Lakeland Assemblies Cotillion Club. She is an active member of First United Methodist Church, PEO Chapter CP, and a Sustainer in the Junior League of Greater Lakeland.

Caroline joins Heath’s staff by overseeing the Aftercare Program and developing relationships within the community.

Art Kretzer II

Funeral Director
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Art was born in West Virginia and moved with his family to Lakeland in 1989. He received his Associate of Science degree in Mortuary Science from St. Petersburg Junior College in 2005, his state of Florida Funeral Director’s License in 2006, and his Life and Variable Annuities License in 2009. Art joined Heath Funeral Chapelin 2007 as a Licensed Funeral Director.

Art and his wife, Kellee, have four children: Declan, Nolan, Everett, and Maloree, and they attend Highland Park Church. Art is active in the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, and enjoys spending time with his family, exploring parks and playgrounds with his children, and playing golf.

Rusty Gray

Funeral Director
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Rusty was born and raised outside of Flint, Michigan. In 1990, he graduated from Olivet Nazarene University, in Kankakee, Illinois, with a degree in Christian Education. Rusty was a Student Ministries Pastor for the Church of the Nazarene in Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. He received his degree in Mortuary Science from St. Petersburg College in 2011 and obtained his State of Florida funeral directors license in 2012. Since then, he has been working as a funeral director and a location manager in the Orlando area. He says his ministry continues in the funeral industry, where he considers serving families an honor.

 

Rusty and his wife, Carol, reside in Lakeland, and have two adult sons. Carol is a para-professional for the Polk County Schools. Rusty volunteers with Lakeland High School Dreadnaught Athletics, serving as scorekeeper for the basketball team and as a member of the “chain gang” for the football team. He and Carol are members at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene.

 

He joined the staff at Heath Funeral Chapel in 2015.

Mark R. Niece

Staff Associate
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Mark was born in Youngstown, Ohio and moved to Lakeland in 1981 where he graduated from Lake Gibson High School the following year. He came to work for Heath Funeral Chapel in 1989 and was promoted to Support Staff Foreman in 2002. His hobbies include comic book collecting, reading, writing and swimming. Mark and his wife Linda currently reside in Lakeland.

Billi Jo Hendry

Administrative Assistant
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Billi was born in West York, Pennsylvania. She moved to Lakeland at the age of 12. She graduated from Lakeland High School in 1994, with a focus on business classes.

She and her husband, Aaron, have been married since 2002 and have two grown children, Austin and McKenzie.

Billi’s hobbies include camping, going to the beach and spending time with her furry babies.

Mark Scolnick

Staff Associate
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Mark moved to Florida from Westford, MA, in November 2011 after working in the insurance industry for many years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administrative in Finance and a Minor in Marketing from Nichols College in Dudley, MA. An active community member both in Massachusetts and Florida, Mark has served as president of several community organizations and currently is active in the Lakeland Rotary Club and Boy Scouts of America. Prior to his move to Florida, he began volunteering with Central Florida SCORE, a mentor group of retired executives established in 1964, and currently is serving as chairman. Mark joined Heath Funeral Chapel in September of 2014. He and his wife, Irma, reside in Lakeland.